I was wondering if someone can help me out with the following: the bike recently started leaking oil, not much but there will be 2-3 drops every couple of days. It looks like it's also starting to leak between the cylinder and the main body and also between the front and the main body. I'm guessing it's just bad gaskets for these??? The oil pan underneath is completely covered in oil. I have attached a few pictures. Any advice on what to do to fix this would be appreciated.

The weeping you see at the cylinder base is common, and I don't know if that vintage had a gasket or O-Ring there. But it might have given up the ghost. Pretty easy to replace though. The weeping on the block is the timing cover. That one is a bit of a bear to get to, and will make you get a special (sprocket puller) tool. But in the big scheme of things, it's not hard to get at. Just takes an afternoon.

But ... if the engine sounds good, and isn't leaking more than a couple drops in a few days ... I'd keep riding it, and become a bit more neurotic about checking the oil level. Hit it with some lemon oil degreaser and call it an Airhead.

The cylinder base leak is not an uncommon problem-- it might just be a "sloppy job" of sealing it the last time is was off for repair or might suggest loose cylinder head nuts and/or a stripped cylinder stud (at worst). The timing case cover sometimes weeps, and again might be a "sloppy job" of sealing it the last time is was off for repair or loosened timing cover bolts. No need for a sprocket puller unless you're needing to do a timing chain, but this is not a big enough leak to worry about now. The leaky oil pan gasket migh be a leaky oil pan gasket or the needs to snug up the oil pan bolts. BE CAREFUL with those M6 bolts, easy to strip if you don't have the light touch.

--Bill

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'73 R60/5 ToasterLuddite. Not just a philosophy, a way of life...

I was wondering if someone can help me out with the following: the bike recently started leaking oil, not much but there will be 2-3 drops every couple of days. It looks like it's also starting to leak between the cylinder and the main body and also between the front and the main body. I'm guessing it's just bad gaskets for these??? The oil pan underneath is completely covered in oil. I have attached a few pictures. Any advice on what to do to fix this would be appreciated.

-Yuriy

It's not leaking. Leaking is when it washes the dirt off. If you don't like the look, wash it.

it will take some new gaskets and quite a bit of work to get all that gone, and it will come back eventually.

I do see drops off the oil pan. Might be worth dropping that for a new gasket. You get to clean it out at the same time. Not a lot of work, you want a torque wrench to put it back and you want to follow the instructions on the loosening/tightening pattern.

The earlier cylinder base's with gaskets do tend to weep like that. Yet another reason why I prefer the later models but . . . . The timing chain cover should not weep. The sump gasket should not weep. Replace both gaskets. Install them clean and dry using an inch pound torque wrench. On the sump go round and round until ALL the fasteners click to spec at the same time. Re-torque after a few heat cycles and then once a year or so there on out. Put silicon on the sump bolt that goes through the case under the oil filter cover. Good luck!

Yes, that's a common place to leak but it shouldn't. As has already been stated, if the job was done properly, it shouldn't leak at all. I like to use a very small amount of silicone on all the gaskets. BUT, you need to make sure it's just a trace amount, any more than that and it may cause other problems.

To re-seal a cylinder base, you don't have to part the head from the cylinder, just remove the rockers and slide the whole works out far enough to clean and re-seal the base gasket (not as far as the piston while on TDC). If your bike doesn't have base gaskets, just clean the surfaces and smear a very light coat of sealant and put it all back together.

This would also be a good time to consider new push rod seals.

As for the timing cover leak, check the bolts in the cover to make sure none have come loose. Changing or re-sealing this cover is a little more involved and not one that should be attempted without the proper tools.

Good question. Misting around cylinder base, timing cover and pushrods is normal. But if it were mine I'd check the oil pan bolts. Tighten in a criss cross pattern and the torque value is very low. I don't know off hand so check the manual. Maybe it's a good time to pull the pan and check the pick up, new gasket and clean both surfaces. A little gasket goo on both surfaces and it should be oil tight. Maybe check the drain plug and oil filter cover for snugness. Clean everything up and watch.